Production of native fish has increased by more than 3,000 tonnes in Naogaon this year, District Fisheries Office sources said.
The sources said, "There are 47,326 ponds on 12,895 hectares of land under all eleven upazilas of the district. Besides, fish is cultivated in open water bodies on some 34,900 hectares of land in the district."
"This year, about 83,609 tonnes of fish have been produced from the district's total wetlands while the amount was 80,600 tonnes last year," the sources added.
Local sources said the Atrai river which streams between Raninagar and Atrai upazilas of the district has become a favourite place for the fishermen.
Native species like shingi, magur, boal, shoil, koi, puti, chital, foli, ayir, shorputi, titputi and khalisha are available here almost all the seasons.
A dried fish village was established in the Vartetulia area adjacent to Ahsanganj Station of Atrai upazila many years ago.
Dried fish of the village is being sold in at least twenty districts of the country including Dhaka, Rangpur, Nilphamari, Kurigram and Dinajpur.
One Ramzan Ali of Kastodoba village under Badalgachhi upazila said, "I have been rearing rui, katla, mrigal, shingi and tengra fish for the last few years in my one bigha pond."
"Although I am making profit from the cultivation, I am facing frequent price hike of fish feed which is slacking up my production target," he added.
Farmer Chanchal Hossain of Kashimala village of the upazila said, "I am cultivating fingerlings of local species including pabda, baim, tengra, shingi and puti."
"I sell 200 to 300 kgs of fingerlings every months as per the demands of the fish farmers," he added.
District Fisheries Officer Firoz Ahmed said, "After meeting the local demand of some 61,210 tonnes of fish in the district, the fishermen are sending the rest to other parts of the country every year."
"As the government has cut the import duty on raw materials of fish feed, price of the item will hopefully decrease in the markets very soon, helping the growers reduce cost and boost the production," Mr Ahmed Added.
